GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER

Operated by Geisinger Medical Center (per NTSB report)

The pilot’s decision to conduct a straight-in approach to the helipad, which resulted in the main rotor blade impacting a construction crane flag marker. Contributing to the accident was the erroneous information about the construction crane’s operation time and the pilot’s self-induced time pressure, which resulted from his awareness of the patient’s medical situation during the flight.

Part: FIRE DETECTOR — FALSE ACTIVATION (ZONE 400) · airframe 3,947 hrs · 12,220 cycles

RANDOM FIRE GONG WAS HEARD AFTER AIRCRAFT WAS RE POSITIONING TO THE HANGAR, PERFORMED FIRE EXTINGUISHING TEST. #1 ENGINE FAILS THE TEST

Part: WARNING MESSAGE — FALSE ACTIVATION · airframe 4,772 hrs · 17,046 cycles

NR 1 ENG FAIL CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER TAKEOFF. ALL ENGINE INDICATIONS AND PERFORMANCE WERE NORMAL. NO OTHER ASSOCIATED CAUTION LIGHTS OR INDICATIONS OCCURRED.

Part: EXPANSION BOX — LEAKING (ZONE 100) · airframe 3,496 hrs · 13,776 cycles

SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF FROM 22N A FUEL ODOR WAS NOTICED INSIDE THE CABIN AND COCKPIT. RETURNED TO BASE WITHOUT INCIDENT.

Part: UNKNOWN — ODOR (CABIN) · airframe 8,647 hrs · 25,871 cycles

CREW NOTED STRONG FUEL SMELL IN FLIGHT. RETURNED TO BASE.

Part: UNKNOWN — ODOR (CABIN) · airframe 5,384 hrs · 5,386 cycles

WHILE IN FLIGHT CREW MEMBERS IN THE CABIN SMELLED FUEL JUST AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 2500 MSL.

Part: UNKNOWN — ODOR (CABIN) · airframe 5,384 hrs

LEVELING OFF AT 2200MSL ENROUTE TO PHMMH FLIGHT NURSE IN REAR NOTICED FUEL SMELL AND AS HE MENTIONED THE SMELL THE PARAMETRIC AND PILOT SMELLED IT AS WELL. THE FUEL SMELL WAS SO INTENSE IT WAS BURNING THE EYES OF ALL CREW. IMMEDIATELY RTB UPON REACHING THE BASE AND SHUTDOWN THE ODOR COULD BE SMELLED ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE AIRCRAFT MORE SO ON THE #2 SIDE. FURTHER INSPECTION COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE, BUT THE SMELL REMAINED EVEN AFTER AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED INTO THE HANGER. CONTACTED MAINTENANCE AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD COME AND INSPECT.

Part: BLADE — DAMAGED (MAIN ROTOR) · airframe 7,799 hrs

WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO KUNV AT 1420 LT, LOUD BANG WAS HEARD FOLLOWED BY RYTHMIC NOISE FROM ROTOR SYSTEM. INCIDENT OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 2000 FT MSL (700-800 AGL). INITIAL ASSUMPTION WAS THAT AIRCRAFT HAD SUSTAINED A BIRD STRIKE. NOTIFIED CONTROL TOWER AND REQUESTED LANDING AT DEICING RAMP. AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED SAFELY AND SHUT DOWN IN ACCORDANCE WITH NORMAL PROCEDURE. AFTER EXITING AIRCRAFT, IT WAS IMMEDIATELY APPARENT THAT RIGHT-SIDE HYDRAULIC DOOR HAD OPENED AND WAS CONTACTING MAIN ROTOR BLADES.

Part: ENGINE — MAKING METAL (UNKNOWN) · airframe 1,723 hrs · 5,742 cycles

SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFF FROM HERSHEY TO RETURN TO KSEG, #2 ENG CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. FOLLOWED CHECKLIST AND ATTEMPTED TO BURN. LIGHT EXTINGUISHED AND THEN QUICKLY RE-APPEARED. ENG #2 WAS SHUT DOWN AND SINGLE ENGINE LANDING WAS PERFORMED. RUN ON AT APPROX. 15KTS PULLING UP TO 120% ON ENG #1. NO EXCEEDANCES ARE KNOWN TO HAVE OCCURRED.

Part: UNKNOWN — UNKNOWN (UNKNOWN) · airframe 4,012 hrs · 14,228 cycles

DURING HOVER AND AFTER TAKEOFF A STRONG FUEL SMELL WAS IN THE COCKPIT. IT CONTINUED INTO THE FLIGHT LONGER THAN EXPECTED. UPON CHECKING ENGINE INSTRUMENTS, THE CREW AND I NOTICED THAT THE FUEL BURN WAS SIGNIFICANT (12 GAL IN 2 MIN). FLIGHT WAS ABORTED AND AIRCRAFT BROUGHT BACK TO BASE. NO FUEL CAN BE SEEN FROM FILLING PORT, BELLY DRAINS, OR DECKS BESIDES TRACE AMOUNTS FROM THE RIGHT-SIDE DRAIN PORT UNDER THE MX STEP.

Part: UNKNOWN — ODOR (CABIN) · airframe 8,939 hrs

ON CLIMB OUT TO 2500, MEDICAL CREWMEMBER IN RT AFT CREW SEAT, STATED SHE SMELLED FUEL & THAT THE SMELL WAS NOT GOING AWAY. NO OTHER CREW MEMBERS SMELLED FUEL. RETURNED TO BASE.

Part: FUEL — LEAKING (ENGINE DECK)

ON LIFTOFF, ENG SPLIT CAUTION ILLUMINATED. WHILE TRIMMING ENGS, BACK SEAT CREWMEMBER STATED STRONG FUEL SMELL. LANDED ACFT NET TO DOLLY & ASKED A CREWMEMBER TO DO A WALK AROUND. AS SOON AS HE OPENED COCKPIT DOOR TO EXIT, SMELLED A STRONG FUEL ODOR & SHUT THE ACFT DOWN. FOUND 12 INCH PUDDLE OF FUEL ON DOLLY & FUEL DRIPPING FROM THE ENG DECK DRAIN.

Part: UNKNOWN — ODOR (CABIN) · airframe 3,446 hrs

SMELLED STRONG ODOR OF FUEL AFTER TAKEOFF AT APPROX 1,100 FEET MSL. PERFORMED GND RUN & LEAK CHECK OF BOTH ENGS, DRAIN LINES & FUEL EQUIPMENT PLATES. NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. NO FUEL SMELL IN CABIN AFTER 20 MINUTE GND RUN, COULD NOT DUPLICATE. OPERATIONAL CHECK FLIGHT WAS COMPLETED WITH NO FURTHER DEFECTS NOTED.

Part: BEARING — UNSTAKED (TAIL ROTOR HEAD) · airframe 3,727 hrs

ON A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, FOUND BEARING OF TAIL ROTOR PITCH LINK UNSTAKED & LOOSE IN PITCH LINK.

Part: DISPLAY — MALFUNCTIONED (COCKPIT) · airframe 1,297 hrs

ENGINE PA DIS SYS 1 & 2 CAUTION ILLUMINATED IN FLIGHT. FLI DISPLAY CHANGED FROM FLT DISPLAY TO START DISPLAY & VARTOMS UNABLE TO MATCH TORQUES.

Part: UNKNOWN — MALFUNCTIONED (OIL SYSTEM) · airframe 2,978 hrs

TEN MINUTES INTO 1 LEG OF FLIGHT, NOTICED NR 1 & NR 2 OIL PRESS SLIGHTLY OFF. NOTED DECREASE IN OIL PRESS OF THE NR 2 ENG. AFTER 10 MINUTES PILOT ELECTED TO DIVERT FOR RUN ON LANDING. PILOT BROUGHT NR 2 ENG TO IDLE & SET UP FOR RUN ON LANDING.

Part: CONNECTOR — DIRTY (OIL SYSTEM) · airframe 2,976 hrs

EXPERIENCED LOSS OF OIL PRESS INDICATION ON NR 2 ENG IN-FLIGHT. FOLLOWED RFM FOR LOSS OF OIL PRESS INDICATION SINGLE ENG ID, SINGLE ENG EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN PERFORMED, LANDED AS SOON AS PRACTICAL AT NEAREST IMPROVED AREA FOR RUN ON LANDING. NO LIMITS EXCEEDED, SHUT DOWN REMAINING ENG AFTER LANDING.

Part: CYCLIC CONTROL — OBSTRUCTED (MAIN ROTOR)

DURING A NORMAL CHECK OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS DURING MX, FOUND THE CO-PILOTS CYCLIC MISINSTALLED, CYCLIC CAN CONTACT GLARESHIELD AND POSSIBLY WEDGE UNDER IT. GLARESHIELD AND INSTRUMENT PANEL ARE NOT OEM INSTALLED PARTS. MODIFIED UNDER STC SR00650DE-D. ISSUE IS NOT ONLY WITH THIS PARTICULAR ACFT BUT RATHER THIS TYPE WITH THE STC INSTALLED. PROBLEM CAN BE CORRECTED ON A SHORT TERM BASIS BY REMOVING THE CO-PILOTS CONTROLS. MFG HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM AND ARE WORKING ON THE PERMANENT SOLUTION.

Part: GEARBOX — CHIPPED (TAIL ROTOR) · airframe 3,295 hrs

TAIL ROTOR CHIP LIGHT IN FLIGHT. MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN BASEBALL FIELD. ENROUTE TO MEDICAL SCENE CALL AND HAD TO ABORT.

Part: DISPLAY — MULTIPLE FAIL (COCKPIT) · airframe 861 hrs

PASSING THE INTIAL APPROACH FIX ON GPS. EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF PFD, ND, CAD AND VEMD. ALL SCREENS WENT BLANK FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS THEN FLICKERED A DOZEN TIMES THEN CAME BACK ON TO STAY ON. RETURNED TO HOME BASE VFR WITH NO MORE OCCURENCES.

Part: TACHOMETER — INOPERATIVE (INSTRUMENT PANEL) · airframe 802 hrs

DURING SYSTEM CHECK, AFTER STARTING NR 1 ENGINE, NO ROTOR TACH WAS INDICATED WITH ROTORS TURNING.

Part: GEARBOX — BROKEN (MAIN ROTOR)

A/C WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN THE XMSN CHIP ILLUMINATED ON THE CAD. PILOT WAS 20 MINUTES INTO A 30 MINUTE FLIGHT. FLEW FOR 1-2 MINUTES UNTIL A SUITABLE LANDING AREA WAS FOUND. LANDED AND SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY. NO ABNORMAL SOUND WAS NOTED, TRANSMISSION TEMP AND OIL PRESSURE NORMAL.

Part: BLOWER MOTOR — MALFUNCTIONED (CABIN) · airframe 2,535 hrs

STRONG ELECTRICAL FUMES IN CABIN AND COCKPIT 1-2 MINUTES AFTER TURNING ON AIR CONDITIONING. GENERATOR AND AMPS NORMAL TURNED OFF AIR CONDITIONING, VENTED CABIN AND COCKPIT. RETURNED TO BASE.

Part: BLADE — DAMAGED (MAIN ROTOR) · airframe 672 hrs · 2,117 cycles

ON APPROACH, ROTOR TIP IMPACTED FLAG & FLAG HOLDER MOUNTED ON INDUSTRIAL CRANE. CREW FELT MINOR LOW FREQUENCY VIBRATION. PILOT LANDED ACFT IMMEDIATELY. ON PRELIMINARY INSPECTION, MINOR DAMAGE TO ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE END CAP WAS DISCOVERED. PILOT NOTED NO LOSS OF NR, NOISE IMPACT, OR ANY CHANGE IN INDICATIONS, ASIDE FROM THE SLIGHT LOW-FREQUENCY ROTOR VIBRATION.

Part: MOUNT BRACKET — CRACKED (LANDING LIGHT) · airframe 1,702 hrs

ON PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, FOUND CRACKED MOUNTING BRACKET ON CROSS-TUBE MOUNTED LANDING LIGHT.

Part: MOUNT BRACKET — CRACKED (ZONE 100) · airframe 2,425 hrs

ON VISUAL INSPECTION FOUND CRACKED MOUNTING BRACKET.